|| Seven ||
The Moon and Her StarsLu Han deciding to take me home was unexpected.
"You can still go back, you know," I said, as I switched Pookie on my other arm. We were at the bus stop in their neighborhood, waiting for my bus.
Lu Han shook his head. "The girls mentioned he was in another neighborhood before here. We don't really know where he's at. It can't hurt to be careful. Here, let me." He took Pookie from me when he noticed I kept switching the dog back and forth between my arms.
"We don't even know if it's real," I reasoned out. "My instincts are telling me it's all rumors."
"Yeona. Just let me take you home."
There he went again, saying my name in a way as if it was some magic word.
"Why don't you want to let me take you home anyway?" He raised an eyebrow. "Is this your way of getting back at me for keeping you out of my house all the time? You don't want me to know where you live?"
I crossed my arm and narrowed my eyes at him. "Unlike you, I don't have anything to hide."
He shrugged. "Then we have no problem. Right, Pookie?" The dog his face in answer, and Lu Han looked at me smugly as if to say 'See?'
I scowled at him and the dog. I hated them working together against me.
When my bus arrived, I made it a point to leave them behind. The bus was semi-crowded and when Lu Han got in, there was no more seat left for him. He stood on my right, one arm carrying Pookie, his other arm shouldering Pookie's tote bag and at the same time, holding onto the bus straps for balance.
Lu Han didn't even try handing me Pookie. After the next stop, more people got in. My conscience started eating me as I looked up at Lu Han holding Pookie. He wasn't even supposed to be here. He was just being nice by offering to take me home, and here I was, totally being a brat.
"Give him to me." I offered my arms for Pookie.
Lu Han just shook his head. "It's alright." Why did he have to be so stubborn?
Thankfully, after the next stop, the person sitting on my left got off so I immediately moved over so Lu Han could sit.
"Is this how it's always like after my stop?" he asked as he gestured around us. "Crowded, I mean. It could have been really difficult for you since you still have your things."
Was he worrying about me? "It's fine. Just a little sacrifice for a very cute dog," I said as I patted Pookie's head. It was amazing how just one week ago, I didn't like dogs, and now here I was, getting a little sad at the fact that we have to return him on Saturday.
"You could have told me..." Lu Han trailed off and then shrugged. "But then knowing you, you probably never will."
I raised my eyebrow at that. "Knowing me? Oh yeah, then what am I like?"
Lu Han smirked. "Aside from being a crybaby?"
I swatted his arm. "That was one time."
He laughed, and when his laughter died down, he turned to me, saying, "I don't know? To me, you're the kind of person who isn't the type to say you're having a hard time or something. An ice princess, remember? You like keeping to yourself."
"Hmmm." I thought about it. If it was true, I guessed old habits really just die hard.
Before my grandmother passed away, I didn't have to say anything. She used to be able to see through me. And when she left, the habit stuck since there really wasn't anyone for me to lean on at that time.
I shrugged at Lu Han. "Whatever. Stop thinking about it. It's the last time today anyway. We have to return Pookie soon to his owner."
At that, Lu Han visibly deflated, and I mirrored his sigh. No words were needed. We were going to miss Pookie a lot.
When we got out of my stop, Lu Han and I walked quietly, the mood dampened at the thought of Pookie leaving. And then, while we were walking, Lu Han suddenly nudged me.
"Lighten up," he said. "You're going to meet your precious boy band tomorrow, after all."
And that was all it took for me to smile brig
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